The Last Mixed Tape looks back at the last four weeks to pick out some of the stand-out tracks coming out of Ireland featuring Ailbhe Reddy, Fontaines D.C, Gemma Dunleavy, Wyvern Lingo, Sinead O’Brien, Gemma Bradley, Silverbacks, Elaine Mai, Saige & more.
Gemma Dunleavy – Up De Flats
The title track from Gemma Dunleavy’s upcoming debut E.P, ‘Up De Flats’ is a moving melting pot of abstracted R&B set to a widescreen production and Dunleavy’s silk textured vocal. Added to this is artist’s ability to evoke and intertwine the sound and personal experiences from her growing up in Dublin city via lines like The soundtrack of the summer getting played by the sirens, we found lust in the middle of the violence. Everything I am, I owe it to you.”
Fontaines D.C. – Televised Mind
Fontaines D.C. unveil the visceral contorted side of their forthcoming sophomore album A Hero’s Death with the shuddering roar, tumbling beat and twisting distortion of ‘Televised Mind’.
Murli – The Culture
Set to Murli’s characteristically vibrant and genre melding sound, ‘The Culture’ finds the artist once again highlighting his ability to present the world through his own prism via deftly woven lyrical passages.
Kieran Ring – A Distance Much Too Far
A song that floats on a bed of sprawling indie sounds, the slow-motion music of Kieran Ring’s ‘A Distance Much Too Far’ is an atmospherically charged offering.
KTG – Matches
Big fully-formed pop music, KTG’s ‘Matches’ takes no prisoners with a rhythmically driven sound that pushes and pulls dynamically with hooks coming from all corners during this intensely set track.
Aislinn Logan – What’s Everybody After
A vivid but gentle offering from Aislinn Logan, ‘What’s Everybody After’ has a hazy summer soaked atmosphere to its alt-pop sound.
Celaviedmai feat. Nealo & Alan McKee – Questions
Intertwined with a spacious beat and serene production, Celaviedmai’s ‘Questions’ weaves an engrossing sound via the vocal twist, turns and contrasts that play out through the track. Resulting in a music that is constantly moving.
Joseph Kiernan – Strip The Vines
Sonically deep indie-folk, ‘Strip The Vine’ makes for a compelling listen as the layered production and emotionally driven songwriting come together to form a striking and powerful sound.
FiCat – All My Love
Swing for the fences pop music, FiCat’s debut outing ‘All My Love’ is joyous ode to the genre filled big-choruses, powerful vocal hooks and a vivid beat.
Wyvern Lingo – Don’t Say It
Wyvern Lingo have made their return with the melodically and rhythmically rich new single ‘Don’t Say It’. Set against a deeply vivid production, the trio’s comeback track is as harmonically lush as we’ve come to expect with an added stylisation that draws you further into the music. A statement making new offering from the group.
Gemma Bradley – Obsessed
A wonderfully vivid track, the joyously beat, melodically wide-open and textural deep sound of Gemma Bradley’s ‘Obsessed’ is truly compelling and begs for repeated listens.
Patricia Lalor – Self Aware
Played out upon a backdrop of hazy, shimmering dream-pop, Patricia Lalor’s ‘Self Aware’ is a captivating and subtle offering awash with texture and atmosphere.
Joshua Burnside – And You Invade Him/Born In The Blood
The mood driven, brooding tone of ‘And You Invade Him/Born In The Blood’ makes for a haunting and intense listen as Joshua Burnside’s vocal weaves around a taut pulsing indie-folk soundscape.
My Sweet Beloved – The Invitation
Steeped in reverberant atmospherics, the stark undercurrent of My Sweet Beloved’s ‘The Invitation’ makes for a foreboding backdrop for a captivating yet patient vocal performance.
Sisterix – The Family
Sisterix take aim at abuse within the facade of the nuclear family and the political system itself with their latest track ‘The Family’. Conveyed in a pointed vocal, sharp edged guitars and rumbling beat, the music mirrors the conceptual turmoil.
Elaine Mai – Somewhere Else
Elaine Mai returns with the multi-layered slow vibrancy of ‘Somewhere Else’. Set to a slow-burn beat, Elaine Mai’s emotively driven vocal and music merge together to create an engrossing track and Mai’s best work to date.
Gemma Dunleavy – Return
Gemma Dunleavy’s Up De FlatsE.P. is a sonic collage that melds a myriad of genres around a backdrop of Dunleavy’s own neighbourhood, making for a symbiotic record that evokes the artistic sense of place. The E.P’s closing track, ‘Return’ captures this textural blending of sound with a song that is captivating in its creativity and atmosphere.
The Academic – Acting My Age
Pin-point indie-pop, the Academic’s joyously vivid ‘Acting My Age’, the title track of the group’s latest E.P, is awash with hooks, melodic guitar lines and rhythmically rich interplay.
God Creative feat. Chris Kabs – Around The World
A vibe-driven, slow-burn production creates the perfect backdrop for God Creative and Chris Kabs to weave a smooth lyrical interplay that merges with the feel of the music.
Moon Looks On – Razer Wire Sky
A dramatically charged indie-folk offering from Moon Looks On, the evocative ‘Razer Wire Sky’ is a compelling track led by a powerful vocal performance and supported by a production that matches the drama.
Saige – Late Nights
With the big anthemic sound of ‘Late Nights’, Saige’s glistening indie-pop sound finds a wider-scope to work within resulting in a production that matches the songwriting and central performance and in turn creates a cathartic listen from start to finish.
Niamh Regan – How About That Coffee?
An expressionistic ballad, the lyrical swaying of Niamh Regan’s ‘How About That Coffee?’ coupled with the warm production make for an inviting song brought to life by Regan’s beautifully set vocal.
Vivid Dreamer – He Said He Didn’t Know
Taken from Vivid Dreamer’s sonically lush self-titled debut album, ‘He Said He Didn’t Know’ is a multi-layered listen brimming to the top with texture and ambitious synth-pop production.
Bitch Falcon – Gaslight
Bitch Falcon make their return with the buzzsaw sound of ‘Gaslight’. Set to an unrelenting backdrop of growling guitars and propellant beats, the single is an uncompromising offering from the band.
Host – Know Your Heart
Played across a sprawling production, Host’s ‘Know Your Heart’ is a deeply vivid new single from Host brought to life by a vibrant beat and contorting vocal performance.
Nealo & Uly – You Can’t Go Home Again
Our first glimpse into Nealo’s debut album, due out later this year, is a serene and reflective one. A song that draws upon the feeling of emotional and physical isolation from the ones and the place you love, ‘You Can’t Go Home Again’ is an insight into the personal depth of Nealo’s upcoming L.P.
Amy Naessens – Kiss and Tell
Amy Naessens makes her debut with the darkly glistening sound of ‘Kiss and Tell’. Paired with a striking depth of field, the soul-pop feel and weaving vocals of ‘Kiss and Tell’ make for a promising start from Naessens.
ROE – Macro
Starting with a burst of sound and melding a multitude of sonic elements throughout, ROE’s ‘Macro’ is the songwriter’s most striking work to date with its push and pull verses and stand-out chorus the track is a compelling listen brought to the fore by ROE’s strong vocal delivery.
Rachel Mae Hannon – Be In Love
‘Be In Love’ works as the perfect introduction to Rachel Mae Hannon as her voice, songwriting and overall sound are brought to the fore in a song that’s brimming with vivid flourishes of musicality.
1000 Beasts feat. Kayleigh Noble – Tokyo
A centrepiece in 1000 Beasts debut E.P. On A Different Page, ‘Tokyo’ is a shimmering, sonically warping offering that melds a myriad of sounds into one working tapestry for Kayleigh Noble’s pin-point vocal to play upon.
Somebody’s Child – We Could Start A War
Emotionally-driven music and performance take centre-stage during Somebody’s Child’s new single ‘We Could Start A War’, creating an urgency and energy to the track that results in the artist most striking single yet.
Perlee – Slow Your Eyes
‘Slow Your Eyes’ is a deftly woven new track from Perlee. Cast across a soundscape of hazy vocal harmonies, glistening guitars and a gentle vibe the duo’s latest offering is an enchanting one.
Greg Tisdall – Am I Still On Your Mind?
An intricate track, Greg Tisdall’s ‘Am I Still On Your Mind?’ moves to a patient beat that builds on a soulful lo-fi aesthetic that carries throughout the track, giving Tisdall’s vocal the room to blend into the subtle production.
Sinead O’Brien – Strangers In Danger
From its atmospheric sonic setting punctuated by spiky sparks of dynamism to the building tension and entangling nature of the lyrics, Sinead O’Brien’s latest offering ‘Strangers In Danger’ finds the poet twisting and contorting her music with performance and production that once again highlights her as one of the most exciting and individualistic new artists out there.
Silverbacks – Just In The Band
A visceral and unrelenting side to Silverbacks brutalist debut album Fad (read TLMT’s review – here), ‘Just In The Band’ is a bang and a clatter of crashing angular guitars.
Fia Moon – XX
A deep, far-reaching offering from Fia Moon, ‘XX’ takes shape via an expressive beats that pushes and pulls behind Moon’s soulful vocal that weaves around the production with an engrossing presence.
Uly – I Don’t Need To Understand
A lush lo-fi offering, the dreamlike atmosphere of Uly’s ‘I don’t Need To Understand’ is a welcoming one as both the musical and vocal repose of the track make for an enchanting listen.
Sorcha Richardson – Ruin Your Night (isolation home recordings)
Released as part of Sorcha Richardson’s Isolation Home Recordings E.P. this stripped back rendition of ‘Ruin Your Night’ highlights the subtleties of Richardson’s songwriting with a delicate performance that tells a story.
Aislinn Logan – Look, I’m Flyin’
A stark yet glistening sound surrounds Aislinn Logan’s ‘Look, I’m Flyin’ (taken from Logan’s new E.P. of the same name) has a depth of field and emotional core that runs right through.
Kehli feat. Louis III – Ur So Cool
A vivid new offering from Kehli, ‘Ur So Cool’ is far-reaching pop track that plays with an intricate beat and weaves between Kehli and Louis III’s deftly blended vocal interplay.
JyellowL – Doesn’t Feel Like
Communicating the structural and everyday racism he has experienced, JyellowL’s ‘Doesn’t Feel Like’ deliveries its message with a subtle sound and lyric that fills every inch of the track with the words the artist needs to say.
Dea Matrona – Make You My Star
Straight up rock ‘n’ roll, Dea Matrona’s ‘Make You My Star’ is a joyously bone-rattling new track from a rising band with a very clear handle on the sound they want to make.
Moncrieff – Playloud
A spiky backdrop plays out behind Moncrieff’s buzzsaw delivery on ‘Playloud’ as the artist continues to evolve both his sound and songwriting with a single that has a pointed theme and production.
Banyah – Watch You Go
Electro duo Banyah create an atmospherically twisting sound on the intricate ‘Watch You Go’, a texturally deep song awash with reverberant sounds.
The Zang – Football Sundays
An off-kilter indie track set to an ominous sound, the bristling fuzz of ‘Football Sundays’ contrasts the building tension of the beat with a vocal that takes a more serene path.
Ma-Ka – Better
An instantly captivating offering Ma-Ka, ‘Better’ twists and turns sonically as Ma-Ka wraps her intricate vocal around the beat and merges her voice with the rhythm and the music.
Emma Horan – Over You
Set to a vibrant beat that shimmerings behind Emma Horan’s softly delivered vocal, the ambitious pop sound of ‘Over You’ is a refreshing one and has vibrance to it.
Mick Flannery – Star to Star (live at Cork Opera House)
Taken from Mick Flannery’s Live at Cork Opera House, this emotionally and dynamically intertwining performance of ‘Star to Star’ is a powerful glimpse into Flannery’s captivating live sound with the rest of the album adding to the atmospheric core highlighted here.
Sounds Of System Breakdown – Only Taking You Home
A sprawling, highly-stylised offering from Sounds Of System Breakdown, ‘Only Taking You Home’ is a densely layered track brimming to the top with interlocking synth lines and snapped beats.
Sinead White – Giant Spiders
From its abstracted vocals, scratching strings and reverb-soaked piano, Sinead White’s ‘Giant Spiders’ is a song steeped in deep atmospherics that creates a haunting undercurrent that lies beneath her hypnotic vocal.
Ailbhe Reddy – Between Your Teeth
Taken from Ailbhe Reddy’s forthcoming debut album Personal History (due out on October 2nd), ‘Between Your Teeth’ finds Reddy exploring the distance in communication with a song that bristles with angular guitars, shimmering harmonies and an emotively captivating vocal.
Danny G & the Major 7ths feat. Tolü Makay x Jamel Franklin – D.A.R.L.I.N.G
A smooth as it is vivid, ‘D.A.R.L.I.N.G’ is a song dripping with a stylistic sound that runs right through the beat, music and vocal interplay.
Blake’s Fortune – Dreamer
A warm, inviting indie-folk sound reverberates around Blake Fortune’s ‘Dreamer’. Taken from the songwriter’s brand new album Searcher Dreamer, the song is a dreamlike passage to the album’s broader sonic portrait.
Cursed Murphy Versus The Resistance – Burn Hibernia Burn
Through rattling rhythms, growled guitar parts and an unrelenting vocal of ‘Burn Hibernia Burn’, the taut tension that runs right through its self-titled parent album is established. Resting underneath Cursed Murphy’s almost maniacal performance, this feeling of unease bustles underneath, never letting the atmosphere of the record fall to a comfortable rest.
Fontaines D.C. – Living In America
From the layered production of brooding low-end background and scrathcing textures to the echoed vocal that dominates the foreground, ‘Living In America’ is Fontaines D.C. at their very best and within the context of the album itself. It is the moment where all the sonic and thematic elements converge in a unsettling cacaphony of ferocious catharsis. Providing a vital release of tension that has been growing in the build up to this point.
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